DISPOSABLE x ELISE STACY x INTRO

This being my first blog, let me give you a bit of an intro!

2010 has been a huge one for me with some massive shakeups in my life!

At the end of 09 I was selected in the hockeyroos squad and AIS and therefore said my goodbyes to little Adelaide and headed for Sunny Perth. Life in the west is everything I had hoped it would be. I love the beach culture, the relaxed lifestyle and I have made some amazing new friends. We have been blessed with warm weather and that has meant lots of beaching – I am a bit of an ocean animal at times.

On top of all that, I love the reason why I am here, to train hard and play hockey. The training environment at this level is a huge step up in many areas but I love it! Ill try and give you a bit of and idea of what the training has been like. In a typical week, we have three pitch sessions (5:30am starts!!), two conditioning sessions and various meetings etc. We also train with our clubs and play club matches on the weekends – my team are the Red’s-Old Aquinians Hockey Club.

Honestly, I couldn’t move properly for the first few weeks of training! My body is still adjusting to the physicality of this level, the intensity of training and the fact that you’re always pushing yourself to your limits. When I first arrived at the AIS, we had a 10km run-I had never run that far without stopping before in my life! Never having run the track before I thought I had finished with about 2km to go-Its safe to say that last 2km was a challenge. I continue to remind myself that it is all a learning experience! Next time I hit that track it will be a different story.

Living in Perth has been a positive experience but has not been without hiccups. Unfortunately I have been a bit unlucky with injury. My body likes to rebel and recently, I was hit in the knee with a hockey ball and it fractured my kneecap. Painfull? Yes-I won’t lie. I have missed a fair bit of hockey and not played for 7 weeks now. It will be a steady recovery from here and it is at times frustrating and disappointing however you have to look at a positive side otherwise it is a very…very..long road. This injury has allowed me to reflect on my time in Perth so far and think about other areas of my game and the things I want to work on upon return.

It has also meant I could return to Adelaide to do rehab at home. I have spent some time with friends and family and it is great to have their support. I have also been doing some study here as I am so very close to finishing my uni degree –physio! Also on the plus side, Mum is running a clinic for me in the kitchen – I need some help when it comes to cooking for myself!

While back home in ‘’RADelaide’ I took some snaps for a disposable.. just to show you how rad it really is. My life at home in pictorial form…Enjoy!

I’ll blog you later…Nice to meet you!

Els x